Brief aan Philip Zilcken Possibly 1911 - 1919

Curator: Here we have a glimpse into personal correspondence with Hélène van Goethem’s “Brief aan Philip Zilcken,” likely penned between 1911 and 1919. It's rendered with ink on paper. Editor: The first thing that strikes me is the handwriting itself. There's a delicacy to it, a sort of flowing nervousness. I'd hazard a guess the paper itself would feel pretty thin to the touch? You know, almost ephemeral. Curator: Yes, certainly, the materials speak volumes about its intimacy and temporality, and, indeed, its value. Paper and ink underscore the personal and ephemeral. What makes it stand apart is the careful balance it strikes between personal expression and utility. Its materiality places the act of writing—the labor behind the form, its intended function— at the very center. Editor: You're right. The calligraphy is a very human expression but is nonetheless applied to achieve its task of sharing ideas, feelings... What feelings do you perceive here? There is a definite rhythm at play here in her language... a subtle urgency... a hint of yearning perhaps? Curator: I sense both a weariness and a certain grace. A fatigue, perhaps brought on by her ill health. "une vilaine crise d'asthme" has kept her unwell. It makes one contemplate the writer's body as a kind of machine laboring to put these words on paper with precision and skill! Editor: That’s quite insightful. I wonder about the choice of ink; that faded tone adds to the vulnerability of it all, like time itself is gently erasing the message. Yet, there it is, still speaking to us across all these years about travel complications, poor health, all delivered with some flourish. Curator: Indeed, it persists; what started as daily and immediate now embodies memory. A lovely convergence of raw expression, practicality and skill – it now lingers in a unique place where function has met fine art! Editor: A poignant way to summarize how the work persists! Its very existence underscores labor, craft and a timeless spirit made permanent.